b; 


f‘AM. 

CHiftA 


The 

Beginnings 
of  Harvest 

on  the 

China-Tibetan  Border 

REV.  WILLIAM  CHRISTIE 


Christian  and  Missionary  Alliance 
690  Eighth  Avenue 
New  York 
1918 


w 
. I 


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The  Beginnings  of  Harvest 

on  the 

China-Tibetan  Border 

Rev.  William  Christie 
Kansu 

Kansu  is  one  of  the  provinces  of  China 
proper.  It  lies  in  thhe  northwest  corner  of 
tliat  country  and  adjoins  the  province  of  Am- 
do  in  northeast  Tibet.  The  area  of  Kansu  is 
125,450  scjuare  miles.  It  is  more  than  two  and 
one  half  times  the  size  of  New’  York  State. 
Its  inhabitants  are  said  to  number  10,385,386. 
This  gives  a population  of  only  82  to  the 
square  mile.  Its  people  occupy  78  walled  cit- 
ies (all  of  which  are  county  seats),  several 
hundred  market  towns  and  tens  of  thousands 
of  villages.  Probably  not  more  than  twenty 
per  cent,  of  the  people  are  found  in  the  cities, 
the  rest  being  scattered  all  over  the  country 
in  villages  and  market  towns. 

Races  and  Religions 

There  are  at  least  three  distinct  races  in 
the  province.  They  are  the  Chinese,  Mongo- 


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lia;i  and  Turkish.  The  Turks  (locally  called 
Sala)  are  found  in  the  basin  of  the  Yellow 
River,  chiefly  in  the  country  of  Hsuin-hua  in 
the  western  part  of  the  province.  The)-  num- 
ber about  100,000,  and  are  followers  of  Mo- 
hammed. 

The  Mongols  (locally  called  Tong-hs  ang 
huei-liiiei)  are  found  mostly  between  the  T’ao 
and  the  Ta  rivers  in  the  counties  of  Titao  and 
Hochow.  There  are,  at  the  least  estima,te, 
200,000  of  them.  They  also  are  Moslems. 
Other  Mongols,  few  in  number,  live  in  scat- 
tered villages  and  are  Buddhists  in  religion. 
They  are  locally  known  as  the  t’u-reti. 

Among  these  two  races  no  missionaiy’  work 
IS  being  done. 

Of  Chinese  there  are  in  this  province  up- 
wards of  10,000,000.  But  two  millions  of  them 
adhere  fanatically  to  Mohammed  and  his  re- 
ligion. The  others  are  followers  of  Confucius, 
Buddha  and  Lao-tsi. 

Amdo,  Tibet 

The  whole  of  northeast  Tibet  adjoining 
Kansu  province  is  known  generally  as  Ching- 
hai  or  Ku-ku-nor.  (The  first  name  is  Chinese, 
the  second,  Mongolian,  both  meaning  blue 
lake.)  This  great  religion  includes  the  Tsai- 


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dom,  Kukuno'  proper  and  Upper  Amdo.  The 
former  two  are  peopled  with  Mongolians,  the 
latter  with  Tibetans.  These  three  districts  ap- 
proximate 750,000  in  population.  In  these  re- 
gions no  missionarj-  work  ha3  been  done.  The 
above  named  districts  are  ruled  over  by  a Chi- 
nese general,  btit  his  rule  is  nominal  only. 
Lower  or  Eastern  Amdo  is  ruled  by  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Kansu.  Its  people  are  purely  Tibetan, 
and  they  number  approximately  250,000. 

The  vast  majority  of  the  people  in  these  dis- 
tricts are  devotees  of  Lamaism  while  a smajl 
number  still  adhere  to  the  Bon  faith,  which  is 
the  ancient  religion  of  Tibet. 

First  Work  in  Kansu 

The  first  Protestant  missionaries  to  enter 
the  province  were  two  C.  I.  M.  pioneers.  In 
the  year  1876  they  made  a trip  lasting  several 
months  daring  which  they  reached  Lanchow, 
the  capital.  The  next  year,  1877,  the  first  sta- 
tion was  opened  at  Tsinchow,  in  the  east  of 
the  province. 

In  1894  some  brethren  of  the  Scandinavian 
Alliance  began  work  in  Ping-liang,  a large 
city  in  the  east  of  Kansu. 

From  these  beginnings  the  work  of  these 
societies  extended  to  various  places  in  the 


province  and  continues  to  the  present  time 
under  the  blessing  of  God. 

Beginning  of  Alliance  Work 

In  April,  1895.  the  Alliance  missionaries 
reached  Taochow,  Old  City,  on  the  Tibetan 
border.  Every  year  thereafter  more  mission- 
aries followed.  Extensive  itinerating  was  car- 
ried on  by  them  for  five  years.  During  this 
period  three  stations  were  opened,  viz.,  Tao- 
chow Old  City,  Minchow  and  Paongan.  The 
latter,  in  the  heart  of  the  .Tibetan  tribe  of 
kekong,  after  being  held  for  18  months,  was 
destroyed  by  a Tibetan  mob,  the  missionaries 
barely  escaping  with  theiV  lives.  Several  at- 
tempts were  made  at  two  other  points  in  Low- 
er Amdo — La-brang  and  Hehts’o, — but  per- 
sistent and  violent  opposition  compelled  us  to 
retire  to  Taochow  Old  City',  the  ba3e  of  all 
our  Tibetan  work. 

In  1900  all  missionaries  were  recalled  on 
account  of  the  Boxer  outbreak.  When  the 
missionaries  started  for  the  coa^t  they  bade 
farewell  to  a weeping  and  sorrowful  handful 
of  the  first-fruits  from  that  comer  of  the 
great  harvest  field.  Thus  ended  the  first  stage 
of  missionary  wtork  on  the  Kansu-Tibetan 
border. 


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Extension 

In  the  Slimmer  of  1902  work  was  resumed. 
Other  stations  were  opened  from  time  to  time, 
among  the  more  important  of  which  are  the 
walled  cities  of  Taochow  New  Cit}',  Titao, 
Chone,  Hochow  and  Kongchang.  Besides 
these  there  are  other  six  points  occupied.  Thus 
we  hold  at  present  thirteen  stations  and  out- 
stations.  At  eleven  of  them  either  mission- 
aries or  evangelists  are  permanently  located, 
the  remaining  two  places  being  visited  periodi- 
cally. Ten  of  these  stations  are  situated 
among  the  Chinese,  and  three — Chone,  Le  La- 
cheur  Memorial  and  Hsien-ti — on  the  border 
line  among  the  Tibetans. 

The  Missionary  Force 

From  the  beginning  to  the  present  time  there 
have  been  sent  out  to  this  field  thirty-eight 
missionaries.  Of  these,  five  have  gone  “to  be 
with  Christ,”  six  have  resigned  from  our  So- 
ciety, one  was  retired,  three  were  transferred 
to  Central  China,  while  twenty-three  remain 
in  connection  with  this  field. 

Character  of  Work 

The  work  of  our  missionaries  is  chiefly 
evangelistic  and  pastoral.  They  lead  and 


7 


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supervise  the  work  of  native  evangelists  on 
our  stations  and  outstations.  This  involves  a 
good  deal  of  traveling.  They  have  also  to 
plan  and  often  lead  preaching  campaigns  at 
fairs  and  among  the  villages.  They  set  the 
evangelist  an  example  in  the  street  chapels 
and  at  market  towns.  They  plan  tours  for 
the  selling  of  Scriptures,  oversee  the  work 
and  keep  the  accounts  of  the  colporteurs. 
They  are  called  upon  to  deal  with  difficulties 
arising  in  the  work,  to  arbitrate  between  the 
heathen  and  Christians  and  to  settle  knotty 
problems  of  church  discipline  and  Christian 
practice.  Besides  preaching  at  the  regular 
Sunday  services,  they  hold  special  evangelistic 
meetings  on  their  stations  for  the  unsaved  and 
conventions  for  the  instruction  and  edifica- 
tion of  believers.  They  conduct  Sunday 
Schools  for  the  systematic  study  of  the  Word, 
and  superintend  day  schools  for  the  education 
of  the  children  of  our  Christian  community. 
And,  besides  all  this,  they  have  the  general 
oversight  and  care  of  a mission  station  with 
its  many  and  varied  calls  upon  their  time, 
strength  and  patience.  In  short,  the  mission- 
ary’s life  is  a life  lived  in  a very  practical 
way  for  “others.” 

Our  lady  missionaries  give  much  of  their 

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time  to  the  day  and  Sunday  Schools  above 
mentioned.  ' They  also  do  all  the  work  there 
is  done  among  women.  This  distinctive  work 
consists  in  visiting  the  women  in  their  homes, 
receiving  them  when  they  call  at  the  mission 
station,  touring  in  the  villages  to  preach  to  the 
women,  and  holding  special  “women’s  meet- 
ings” and  reading  classes  for  their  salvation 
and  instruction.  Incidentally,  our  ladies  look 
after  the  sick,  both  among  Christian  a,nd  hea- 
then friends,  advise  the  women  when  in  diffi- 
culty, cheer  them  when  discouraged,  comfort 
them  when  in  sorrow  and  in  all  things  show 
them  an  example  of  Christian  womanhood. 
Thank  God  for  the  noble  Christian  women 
by  whose  lives  Christ  is  being  magnified  and 
glorified  among  the  heathen. 

Results  to  end  of  1917. 

From  the  beginning,  616  converts  have  been 
baptized.  Of  these,  nearly  thirty  have  gone  to 
be  with  the  Lord,  a few  have  been  transferred 
to  other  Missions,  about  eighty  have  been  ex- 
communicated and  475  remain  in  church  fel- 
lowship. These  Christians  are  organized  in 
eight  congregations,  the  largest  of  which  has  a 
membership  of  105,  the  smallest,  of  fifteen. 
Besides  these  members,  there  are  enrolled  in 


9 


I 


incjuircrs’  classes  296  converts  under  instruc- 
tion preparatorj'  to  baptism.  V\’e  never  baptize 
infants,  and  only  those  who  have  publicly  con- 
fessed Christ  as  their  Saviour  are  enrolled  as 
inquirers. 

Five  day  schools  and  one  boarding  school 
have  sprung  up  to  take  care  of  the  children  of 
native  Christians.  They  have  an  enrollment 
of  eighty-four. 

A Bible  Training  School  came  into  existence 
to  meet  the  need  of  more  thorough  Bible  in- 
struction for  those  whom,  vve  believe,  God  is 
calling  to  preach  the  gospel.  Its  full  course 
covers  three  years  and  its  modified  course  two 
years.  From  among  its  graduates  there  now 
assist  us  in  the  Lord's  service  fifteen  c\’angel- 
ists.  At  present,  eleven  men  are  enrolled  as 
students,  all  of  whom  expect  to  be  either 
evangelists  or  pastors. 

Our  six  school  teachers  are  also  from  among 
the  converts  of  our  own  Mission  and  are  men 
of  sterling  Christian  character  and  good  in- 
fluence for  Christ.  As  a result,  more  than 
half  of  the  scholars  are  Christians. 

About  a dozen  Christian  native  women  are 
in  course  of  preparation  for  Biblewomen’s 
work.  Within  two  years  %ve  hope  to  have 
several  Biblewomen  fulb’  employed. 


JO 


In  the  matter  of  self-support,  the  churches 
are  making  headway,  and  vve  are  hoping  that 
in  a few  years  all  local  congregations  will 
have  become  entirely  self-supporting.  How- 
ever, in  this  as  in  self-propagation  there  re- 
mains much  to  be  desired. 

Present  Needs 

We  need  young  men  for  purely  Tibetan 
work.  They  must  be  strong,  able  to  put  up 
with  any  circumstances,  eat  any  kind  of  food 
and  endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers  of  Je- 
sus Christ. 

Our  field  needs  money  for  a Bible  School 
building  for  women,  two  modest  dwelling 
houses  for  missionaries,  the  rebuilding  of  a 
chapel,  and  for  the  extension  of  the  old  Tibe- 
tan station  equipment  at  Taochow  Old  Citj'. 

We  need  a great  increase  in  our  staff  of 
native  workers,  that  the  market  towns  and 
villages  may  be  thoroughly  evangelized. 

The  whole  field  needs  a fresh  influx  of  di- 
vine life  through  the  Holy  Spirit,  that  the 
Word  of  the  Lord  may  spread  more  rapidly, 
more  simply  and  more  effectively  throughout 
that  whole  region. 

Outlook  and  Opportunities 

Of  that  portion  of  Kansu  allotted  to  our 


Society  for  evangelization  there  are  still  seven 
walled  cities  and  forty  market  towns  without 
any  witness  for  Christ.  VVe  are  hoping  and 
pra>'ing  for  missionaries  to  be  sent  to  each  of 
the  walled  cities  and  for  native  evangelists  to 
be  placed  in  these  market  towns.  Here  are 
further  opportunities  for  our  people  to  help 
in  this  last  great  campaign  before  the  Lord 
comes.  May  His  Spirit  stir  Mr  to  further  ef- 
forts to  tell  of  Jesus  and  His  salvation  until 
the  last  city,  the  last  town,  the  last  village  shall 
have  had  a witness  given.  And  then  shall 
the  end  (of  the  age)  come. 

Just  a word  more.  Let  us  not  forget  Amdo 
and  its  many  tribes  and  clans  who  have  never 
seen,  never  heard,  a missionary.  W’e  cannot 
give  up  the  hope  of  fully  evangelizing  this 
last  corner  of  our  Kansu-Tibetan  field.  Let  us 
continue  to  pray  and  believe  for  it.  And  when 
its  doors  are  fully  open,  it  will  not  take  long 
to  tell  the  story  to  its  people.  How  one’s 
heart  bums  with  the  desire  to  see  all  the  last 
tribes  and  peoples  of  earth  evangelized ! 

Let  those  who  have  received  the  fulness  of 
the  Spirit  tmderstcuid  that  they  are  responsible 
for  the  sending  of  the  gospel  to  all  the  neg- 
lected spots  of  earth.  If  your  fulness  of  bless- 
ing ends  in  yourself,  your  Mission,  or  Church, 


12 


or  in  anything  short  of  sending  salvation  to 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  you  have 
failed  to  understand  your  Lord's  commission. 
If  we  are  to  please  the  Lord  Jesus,  we  must 
send  or  carr>'  His  name  to  those  who  never 
heard  it,  until  all  shall  have  heard. 

When  He  comes,  may  He  find  us  doing  His 
will  in  this  respect,  faithfully  and  whole- 
heartedly. Amen ! 


13 


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